Getting to know … BU Online’s Student Services Coordinators

November 1, 2011 at 4:43 pm

As we launch another new term today, we thought it might be nice to introduce some of the folks with whom students enrolled in Fall 02 courses will become quite familiar with over the next seven weeks. They are our Student Services Coordinators, a group who is dedicated to making sure our students have everything they need to get the most out of their BU Online education, and who ensures that our programs run smoothly from behind the scenes — until now, when they finally get their turn in the spotlight.

Here’s a questionnaire with each of the coordinators, which we hope will help students put a personality to their point of contact.

Anna Jensen-Clem

ANNA JENSEN-CLEM

Program: Music EducationWHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?
“For Your Consideration” (I was disappointed; “Spinal Tap” was better)WHICH TV CHARACTER ARE YOU MOST LIKE, OR WHICH WOULD DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE?
I would love to be Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation. If I had blonde hair and a sunny disposition, I think I could pull it off.WHAT’S THE BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME YOU’VE EVER WORN?
Let’s see, my sister and I were witches one year, and we had our faces painted and little hats and brooms. I think I was about 7. I was also Captain Jack Sparrow once, but I couldn’t quite pull off the beard.DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM VACATION.
My dream vacation would be a multi-week Mediterranean extravaganza, with stops in Greece, Italy, Libya (yes), Egypt, and Tunisia. I would basically nerd out looking at Roman and Egyptian ruins.WHERE DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE?
I went to BU and majored in international relations.WHAT’S AT THE TOP OF YOUR HOLIDAY WISH LIST THIS YEAR?
I can’t believe I’m about to say this: the new biography of John Maynard Keynes. I would also accept cookbooks and/or a gift certificate to REI.WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY DINNER?
Hmm, maybe nachos and a margarita? Or some really good Italian food. I’m easy to please.YOU JUST GOT HOME FROM WORK. WHAT NOW?
I usually go for a run and then come home to make dinner and start my schoolwork for the night. I too am a part-time student.THIS WINTER, I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO … my West Coast vacation.I’M MOST LIKELY TO BE BROWSING: CNN, TMZ, OR ESPN?
Most likely to be browsing CNN, you know, for school. International relations won’t study itself!

Leota Smith, Jen Sullivan, and Daisy Cerritos (left to right).

DAISY CERRITOS

Programs: Health Communication, Art Education, and Project Management
WHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?
“The Evil Dead” during Halloween weekend.WHICH TV CHARACTER ARE YOU MOST LIKE, OR WHICH WOULD DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE?
Daria (appearance!)WHAT’S THE BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME YOU’VE EVER WORN?
Daisy Duck, 2006-now.DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM VACATION.
Walk through Kensington Gardens in London.WHERE DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE?
Undergrad: BU COM Advertising major & Women Studies minor
Grad: BU MET E-Commerce TechnologyWHAT’S AT THE TOP OF YOUR HOLIDAY WISH LIST THIS YEAR?
Kitchen silverware…because I am moving!WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY DINNER?
A hamburger (I have had people make jokes about buying me a hamburger cake for my b-day someday)YOU JUST GOT HOME FROM WORK. WHAT NOW?
Time to do some cardio kickboxing or watch just watch TV.THIS WINTER, I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO … Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s.I’M MOST LIKELY TO BE BROWSING: CNN, TMZ, OR ESPN?
CNN because I need to make sure there isn’t another snowstorm headed our way!

LEOTA SMITH

Program: Management Specializations (except Project Management)WHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?
“The Smurfs”WHICH TV CHARACTER ARE YOU MOST LIKE, OR WHICH WOULD DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE?
Lucy, from I Love Lucy, she was just fun and gave Ricky a hard time.DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM VACATION.
St. Barth’s … eat, swim, eat, drink, tan, eat.WHERE DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE?
UMass Boston, Psychology; and Boston U, Finance.WHAT’S AT THE TOP OF YOUR HOLIDAY WISH LIST THIS YEAR?
A Little Red CorvetteWHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY DINNER?
Chinese food!!! I could eat it every single day.YOU JUST GOT HOME FROM WORK. WHAT NOW?
Eat dinner or workout, maybe both at the same time.THIS WINTER, I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO … losing all the weight I gained from Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s festivities.I’M MOST LIKELY TO BE BROWSING: CNN, TMZ, OR ESPN?
TMZ, I love reality TV Gossip!

JEN SULLIVAN, Senior Student Services Coordinator

Program: Computer Science, Clinical InvestigationWHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?
“Midnight in Paris” by Woody Allen (two thumbs up!)WHICH TV CHARACTER ARE YOU MOST LIKE, OR WHICH WOULD DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE?
Tina Fey from 30 RockWHAT’S THE BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME YOU’VE EVER WORN?
The ShamWow Guy, a couple of years ago.DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM VACATION.
I would love to go to Liverpool and do all the touristy Beatles sites!WHERE DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE?
I went to BU and majored in English for undergrad, and Advertising for grad.WHAT’S AT THE TOP OF YOUR HOLIDAY WISH LIST THIS YEAR?
Gift certificates to Sephora.WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY DINNER?
Ice cream cake!YOU JUST GOT HOME FROM WORK. WHAT NOW?
Change into yoga pants and figure out dinner.THIS WINTER, I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO … I love buying presents for people, and spend a lot of time looking for the perfect gift.I’M MOST LIKELY TO BE BROWSING: CNN, TMZ, OR ESPN?
Facebook or Dailyotter.org

Patti McDonnell (left) and Liz Curran (right).

LIZ CURRAN, Senior Student Services Coordinator

Programs: Social Work, Undergraduate Degree CompletionWHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?“Horrible Bosses”WHICH TV CHARACTER ARE YOU MOST LIKE, OR WHICH WOULD DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE?
Currently, I feel a bit like Regan (Christina Applegate), in the new show “Up All Night”. I’m not exactly like the character Regan, but there are definitely moments that I can relate to.WHAT’S THE BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME YOU’VE EVER WORN?
There have been lots of good ones. I was a turtle when I was about 5 yrs old. My mother used two orange sledding coasters as my shell. The shell made climbing stairs a bit tricky, so I spent a lot of my Halloween falling down and then stuck on my back like a real turtle, until my dad picked me up so we could move on to the next house.DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM VACATION.I would love to go to Europe, and travel around from Austria, through Italy, and then onto France. It would be fun to experience the different cultures, and explore the different landscapes, as well as eat some good food and wine along the way.WHERE DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE?
I started at UMass Amherst, transferred to Suffolk University, and then finally finished up at BU. Graduated with a B.S. in management and minored in marketing.WHAT’S AT THE TOP OF YOUR HOLIDAY WISH LIST THIS YEAR?
Good health and happiness.WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY DINNER?
Surf and turf.YOU JUST GOT HOME FROM WORK. WHAT NOW?
Time to feed my 1-year-old daughter Samantha dinner, after I figure out what dinner might be!THIS WINTER, I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO … my husband and I playing in the snow with Samantha and our dog Sadie, and hopefully I will get to ski a couple of times.I’M MOST LIKELY TO BE BROWSING: CNN, TMZ, OR ESPN?
Oh, it depends on the day. I’d have to say ESPN. I like sports a lot, but my husband does even more and usually the remote is in his hand. 🙂

PATTI McDONNELL

Programs: Criminal Justice, Center for Professional EducationWHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?
Started to watch “Bridesmaids” on Saturday night when the nor’easter came through and I lost power. Still out of power today – hope it’s back tonight!WHICH TV CHARACTER ARE YOU MOST LIKE, OR WHICH WOULD DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE?
Penelope from “Criminal Minds.”WHAT’S THE BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME YOU’VE EVER WORN?
I was Raggedy Ann. (My mom sewed it from a pattern and I was holding a Raggedy Andy doll that she created herself as well. I won the costume contest that year. It was probably in the early 90s.)DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM VACATION.
I’d love to go to Ireland and visit the area my ancestors are from – County Cork.WHAT’S AT THE TOP OF YOUR HOLIDAY WISH LIST THIS YEAR?
A John Hardy bracelet. Not going to happen, though, too much $$.WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY DINNER?
Nana’s Veal Cutlets, Eggplant Parmesan and Artichokes. Yummy! I do wish Nana was still with us! My mom’s aren’t the same – but don’t tell her that.YOU JUST GOT HOME FROM WORK. WHAT NOW?
Sleep! I get home at 2am from another job.THIS WINTER, I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO … sledding with my nieces.I’M MOST LIKELY TO BE BROWSING: CNN, TMZ, OR ESPN?
None of the above.

Laura Hannon

LAURA HANNON

Program: Computer ScienceWHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?
“Moulin Rouge”WHICH TV CHARACTER ARE YOU MOST LIKE, OR WHICH WOULD DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE?
Pam Halpert from The Office…minus the artistic talent and the super cute husband. But I did used to answer phones and am a pro at sending faxes!WHAT’S THE BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME YOU’VE EVER WORN?
I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never had a very imaginative Halloween costume. My favorite, though, is my flapper outfit because I think the 20s would have been a really fun time to live and all that fringe is perfect for dancing.DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM VACATION.
Prince Edward Island in August doing pretty much anything.WHERE DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE?
I majored in English and Philosophy at Boston College. (That other Boston school.)WHAT’S AT THE TOP OF YOUR HOLIDAY WISH LIST THIS YEAR?
I would love the ability to regulate the temperature in my apartment so it doesn’t feel like I live in a constant sauna. But, I’ll settle for accessories.WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY DINNER?
Tapas with lots of sangria!YOU JUST GOT HOME FROM WORK. WHAT NOW?
After work and the gym, I typically experiment in the kitchen and catch up with my roommate in front of our favorite episodes of Arrested Development or reruns of Criminal Minds.THIS WINTER, I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO … the white lights in the trees along Comm Ave. It takes away a little of the winter chill.I’M MOST LIKELY TO BE BROWSING: CNN, TMZ, OR ESPN?
None of the above; I’m more of a NY Times kind of girl, partly because I like the aesthetic of the site.